Medication errors are a serious type of medical malpractice that can cause serious harm to victims. As a result, it is essential for victims of prescription errors or other medication errors in hospitals, nursing homes or otherwise to be familiar with the legal options protecting victims of medical errors and medical malpractice.
Medication can be harmful if it is not administered properly. Ways that medication errors may occur can include a failure to monitor dosages or to monitor the drug combinations of the patient properly; mislabeling of prescriptions or medication pumps; poorly written or illegibly written prescriptions; miscommunications between healthcare professionals; a failure to review the victim’s medical history or the medications they are currently taking; or lead to allergic or adverse medication reactions.
Depending on the circumstances, a variety of parties may be liable for medication errors including any medical professional that was involved in handling the prescription. Those that may be liable can include the prescribing doctor; a pharmacy staff member who measured or labeled the medication; and nurses and other hospital staff members who may be administering the medication.
Being harmed by medical malpractice can be overwhelming and may feel like a violation of trust that the victims has carefully placed in their medical care providers. Personal injury legal protections can help them with their physical, financial and emotional damages that result from a medication error or other medical malpractice. Because a medical malpractice claim can be important for the victim and their family, trained guidance to help them navigate through the process can be helpful.